Manufacture of hydrogen peroxid.



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nose HENKEL AND WALTER WEBER, or DUSSELDORF, GERMANY, AssIertons T0 'rHE FIRM on HENKEL & 01s,, or DUSSELDORJE,=GERMANY.

MANUFACTURE OF HYDROGEN PEIROXID.

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 253, 19144 Application filed June 16, 1913. Serial No. ?74=,054.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, DR. HUco HENKEL, chemist, and DR. WALTER VEBER, chemist, citizens of the German Empire, residing at Dusseldorf, Germany, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Manufacture of Hydrogen Peroxid, of which the following is a specification.

For cathode manufacture of hydrogen peroxid in an electrolyte containing oxygen or oxygen-containinggases, a method has been previously claimed in the specification Ser. No. 766,091, dated 7th day of May. 1913, consisting in the supply of the said gases, as well as the electrolysis, taking place under a pressure higher than that of the atmosphere. Now we have found that it 1s not necessary to carry on the combination of oxygen with hydrogen on the cathode, but that it is also possible to produce hydrogen peroxid, by causing oxygen or oxygen-containing gases to act, in the presence of water, under pressure, on gaseous hydrogen in the presence of suitable catalytic agents.

According to our process, it is possible to produce synthetically hydrogen peroxid from its elements in paying quantities and .practice.

of a concentration which is not weaker than that which is usual in the commercial prodnot. It is produced by using pressures which are within the limits of industrial As catalytic agents substances can be used which can chemically bind hydrogen in a suitable manner or dissolve it, thus for instance metals such as palladium, platinum, nickel and others. In place of pure oxygen and pure hydrogen, gas mixtures can also be used containing oxygen or hydrogen, which are free from gases having a disturbing catalytic efl'ect. The process can be carried out at an ordinary temperature.

Compared with the prior process hereinbefore referred to, the present process has the great advantage that gaseous hydrogen is used which can be prepared by any desired process, separate from the process itself for instance hydrogen obtained as a'by-product in various processes can be used. In that way, it is possible to avoid technical difficulties which naturally result when electrolysis has to be carried out in apparatus at a very high pressure. Moreover, the process can be more easily made a continuous one, as only the hvdrogen peroxid solution produced is discharged, and water introduced,

while no attention need be paid to the changes in concentration by electrolysis in the electrolyte solution. The chief point however is that the present process renders it possible to obtain directly pure hydrogen peroxid solutions, as it is not necessary to carry out the work in the solution of an The hydrogen then combines, in the presence of the catalytic agent, with the oxygen and forms hydrogen peroxid. A solution of hydrogen peroxid is produced, the concentration of which is not inferior to that used industrially. The solution of hydrogen peroxid can be continuously drawn ofl, and water replaced, so that the manufacture can go in a continuous manner.

If in place of pure oxygen oxygen-containinggas mixtures such as air are used, then the pressure must be raised in accordance with the smaller partial oxygen.

1. Process for the manufacture of hydrogen peroxid from hydrogen and oxygen, consisting in causing gaseous oxygen to act under pressure, in the presence of water, on gaseous hydrogen in the presence of suitable catalytic agents.

2. Process for the manufacture of hydro gen peroxid from hydrogen and oxygen, consisting in causing oxygen containing gasmixtures, which'are free from gases having a disturbing catalytic effect, .to act under pressure, in the presence of water, on gaseous hydrogen in the presence of suitable catalytic agents. 4

3. Process for the manufacture of hydrogen peroxid from hydrogen and oxygen, consisting in causing gaseous oxygen to act under pressure, in the presence of water, on hydrogen containing gas-mixtures, which pressure of the 10 gen containing gas-mixtures, which are free from gases having a disturbing catalytic effeet, in the presence of suitable catalytic agents.

5. Process for the manufacture of hydro- 15 gen peroxid from hydrogen and oxygen,

consisting in causing gaseous oxygen to act under pressure, in the presence of water, on gaseous hydrogen in the presence of suitable catalytic agents, in admitting additional hydrogen as it is used, in constantly drawing off the solution of hydrogen peroxid and-in supplying a corresponding amount of water.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HUGO HENKEL. [L.S.] WALTER WEBER. [L.s.] Witnesses:

I HELEN NUFER,

ALBERT NUFER. 

